Whistl magazine Autumn 2018
Afulfilling year Whistl Fulfilment celebrates first anniversary with new growth plans
TIPS ON SHIPPING OVERSEAS DIGITAL DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS PREMIER HOUSEWARES’ PARTNERSHIPWITH PARCELHUB ADAY INTHE LIFE OFATELESALES MANAGER
EX -TNT EXPRESS MD JOINSWHISTL
News
Wells Said
We’re delighted to tell you thatWhistl Fulfilment is celebrating its first anniversarywith the announcement of exciting newplans for expansion and a newmember of the team! Afulfilling year
Time flies when you’re busy growing and evolving the business. It’s difficult to believe that we acquired the fulfilment house PrismDM twelvemonths ago andwe’re now celebrating our first anniversary. Since then, our fulfilment division has grown and our customers have grown too. Our rapid expansion brings with it the need for new and talented people to develop the business, and I’mdelighted towelcomeMark Elward as newCommercial Director of our Fulfilment operations in Rushden and Farnborough. We’re alsodelighted towelcomeAlistair Cochrane as our newChief Development Director. We’ve known Alistair for a long time during his reign as Managing Director at our previous sister company TNT Express. His wealth of expertise in national and international logistics will be invaluable in helping usmeet our ambitious growth plans in the parcel sector. Giving customers choice, value and outstanding service has always been our priority. It’s the foundation for our growth at home and overseas, and I’mpleased to say we’re continually winning newbusiness across a wide range of sectors as a result. Recent business wins include leading tech retailer Box.co.uk, the UK’s largest independent nursery retailer PreciousLittleOne, Skinny Coffee Club, Anglian Water and independent grocery retailer, Nisa Local. There’s certainly lots to look forward to as we expand the business and invest in growing our parcels, fulfilment and international operations. I hope you enjoy this issue. In themeantime, we’ll keep you posted on all the latest news @whistluknews NickWells Chief Executive Whistl
commitment to bring greater efficiency, choice andvalue to online andmulti-channel retailers, andwhywe have broadened the range of goodswe handle to suit customers’ needs. Investing in the expansion ofthe Rushden depot meanswe’ll nowbe able to attract more newclients such as Box. co.ukwhich has over 150,000 product lines including bulky and fragile items such asTVs and PCmonitors listed on theirwebsite. Lieneke Happel, Managing Director of Whistl Fulfilment, said: “Wow, what a year we’ve had – but there is still a lot ofwork to do and improvements to bemade.We have existing customerswho are growing very fast and need our continued support and investment.With newpeople joining our team, we are confident thatWhistl Fulfilment will deliverthrough the peak season and continue to grow.” To find out more aboutWhistl Fulfilment email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk orvisit www.whistl.co.uk/fulfilment
Afurther 60,000 sq ft of operational space will nowbe added to our Rushden fulfilment depot giving us roomto growand strengthen our existingwarehousing, fulfilment and packing facilities. Plus to help us develop ourfulfilment business both at home and overseas, we have appointedMark Elward as our new Commercial Directorforthe Rushden and Farnborough operations. Mark brings extensive expertise from his previous role at logistics and fulfilment specialist DKGroup alongwith a breadth offulfilment andwarehousing knowledge gathered fromhis timeworkingwith Fedex across Europe. Our expansion plans build on the impressive successwe’ve seen in the last 12 months. In fact sincewe acquired PrismDM in 2017we have gained a newclient every month froma variety of sectors including beauty, electronics, luxury goods and charity, and successfully grown our offering to our existing customer, BrandAlley. Such rapid growth is a result of our ongoing
Mark Elward New Commercial Director
In the past year they have been able to continue to support our growth, enabling us tomove a physical warehouse location with minimal business impact. The best compliment I can make is that I feel they are part of the team, rather than an external partner. JamieWadhams, COO, SportPursuit
Lieneke Happel MD Whistl Fulfilment
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News
All abroad Expanding internationally or exporting can bring great opportunities to grow your business but it needs careful planning. Michael Boulton, International Sales Director at Whistl offers a fewtips on shipping overseas.
UK Doordrop spend remains stable despite uncertainty
For every 100 doordrops received, 10 are passed on and shared, and each piece is revisited three times. In fact 14% of doordrops continue to live in the home after fourweeks. Doordrops live longer
Between2013and2017theannual doordropnet spendby UKbusinesses remainedstabletotalling£263min2017, comparedto£260min2013despitepolitical uncertainty and legislativechangescausedbyGDPRandBrexit.
Sell yourself Make sure you tell people that you now offer international delivery, otherwise you could find the uptake of orders from overseas countries is a lot lower than expected. Online marketing through social media, blogs and email offers a cost-effective solution, just remember to target those customers in countries you’re trying to reach. Give customers choice Think about offering optional extras. For instance many international customers want the extra security of parcel tracking so that they knowwhen their items will arrive. Loyalty bonuses for returning customers, day-specific deliveries and free shipping can also help increase the uptake of orders abroad. Formore information about international shipping options and advice about exporting overseas email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk or visit www.whistl.co.uk/ international
Do your homework Ask yourself whether now is the right time to start doing business overseas. Investigate whether there is a clear and growing demand for the type of products or services you offer and a base of potential clients with the interest andmoney to buy. It’s also wise to explore the regulatory environment and whether there’s any red tape. Develop a strategy Before you can ship products, you’ll first need to decide your pricing strategy for shipping. Are you going to absorb some or all of the cost, pass the full cost of shipping on to your customers, offer free or flat-rate shipping or a range of options to suit the time, tracking requirements and budget of your customers? Whatever you decide, make sure it’s covered by your budget and is attractive to customers.
and cost-effective and is a lot easier than managing deliveries yourself. Make sure your carrier provides the international connections, service options and flexibility you need. Check the red tape There is legislation to comply with and it can be complex, however, with help and advice from the government and trade bodies set up to support British exports, and working with the right delivery partner, the red tape associated can be easily untangled. Check whether there are any importing restrictions on the products you sell to the countries you want to deliver to so that you don’t end up with a lot of disappointed customers! imperative you know exactly what they will be and factor them into your overall budget. This could influence the countries you offer international parcel delivery to, especially for small businesses that may only be able to provide the service to EU or European countries, for example. Set a budget Shipping rates will vary from country to country, but it’s
Annual volumes of direct mail have fallen considerably over the same period from6.6 billion in 2013, to 5.7 billion in 2017. Press andmagazine advertising has also fallen over the same period. However doordrops, a proven acquisition channel for advertisers seeking reach and volume, continue to show resilience despite a long-term decline in othermedia. “Traditional print media provides consumers with a personal experience – something tangible they can interact with, take with them and go back to at their own leisure. Its unique nature makes it a robust advertising medium and the figures over the past few years Marketing Association. “Whilst industry volumes have declined over a four-year period, this will in part be a result of improved campaign planning, printing and targeting techniques, which are reflect this,” stated Rachel Aldighieri, MD of the Direct
beneficial to the reputation of the medium.” While the extent of GDPR’s impact on advertising mediums will likely be revealed over the coming years, it is unlikely that it will have a negative impact on doordrops. Aldighieri added: “Unlike many othermarketing channels, doordrops are GDPR compliant from the offbecause
they do not require any personally identifiable
information. We’re already noticing a
newwave of interest in the channel from client organisations and we are
confident that this will continue.” JICMAIL, the industry’s flagship measurement system launched at the beginning of the year, now gives mail a level playing field for the first time, enabling doordrops to be accurately compared with other channels.” saidAldighieri.
Choose the right delivery partner
Transport and distribution are key considerations when planning for international trade. Choosing the right delivery partner is essential to ensure your exporter’s operation is efficient
To find out howdoordropmarketing can help you boost business, email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk or visit www.idoordrop.com
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News
Let’s get digital Here atWhistl we always aimtomake your life easierwhich iswhywe nowoffer a suite of digital communication applications that can help improve theway youmanage, store, control and share time-critical information. Developed to integrate seamlessly with your own SaaSapplications that improvedocumentworkflow Secure Portal – The safe way for your customers to access multiple documents online
Turn your mailings green Direct mail continues to be one of themost effectiveways to get yourmessage into the hands of a captive audience, but with ongoing concerns about its impact on the environment howcan you act responsiblywhilst still making the most of this powerful medium? Here are some of our top tips.
Keep it clean Clean data has never been more crucial, particularly with GDPR. Target those who have expressed an interest in your company and invest in high-quality prospect lists and you’ll see a significant lift in response whilst reducing costs and wastage on print. Care about your creative Try to avoid ink-heavy coverage and use formats that are efficient for printing. Pages and pages of information are often unnecessary and can actually deter the recipient from reading it. By trimming your direct mail campaign, you’re minimising your environmental impact and ensuring your messaging is effective. Go veggie Talk to your printer about using vegetable- based inks as it’s a much greener solution. They do not contain volatile chemicals so they are gentle on the environment yet still
produce high-quality, bright images. In fact you could end up saving more on full colour printing as there are fewer solvents and it
systems, the suite of five Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) applications enable you to control the cost, quality and efficiency of your digital and printed communications. From storage and file sharing, to production and postage, the cloud-based software provides a range of multi-channel solutions that gives you secure access to documents anywhere, anytime, are completely scalable and quick and easy to install. Formore information about our range of digital communication solutions email moreinfo@whistl.co.uk or visit www.whistl.co.uk/digital-communications
Engage – The online document hub for true document control and brand consistency
requires less press-cleaning. Switch to sustainable
Here atWhistl we take our responsibility seriously. Our greenPost service helps you reduce your environmental impact and your postage costs. To find out if youmeet the criteria to use the greenPost service email moreinfo@whistl or visit www.whistl.co.uk/ mail/greenpost/
Manage Print – Dynamic, scalable, personalised on-demand print production Hybrid Mail – The efficient way to print and post everydaydocuments fromall business areas ViewMy Doc – The fast way to present a single document in a protected online environment
Paper, envelopes and wrapping can all be switched tomore eco-friendly options. Recycled paper is widely available, as is paper and othermaterials from renewable sources. That means yourmailing won’t be contributing to deforestation and you’ll have a clear conscience about helping to protect the planet. Encourage responsibility Include the recycle now logo and a green statement on your printedmarketing material and you’ll not only be encouraging recipients to do the right thing, you’ll be demonstrating your commitment to the environment and green credentials. It’s a great way of promoting your values and boosting brand loyalty.
Ex-TNTExpress MD joinsWhistl
Cloud-based document solutions www.whistl.co.uk
We’re delighted to announce that we have appointed AlistairCochrane as our newChiefDevelopment Director. As formerManaging Director of our previous sister companyTNTExpress, we’ve had an excellent long- standing relationshipwithAlistair. He brings unparalleled industry expertise in both national and international logistics having previouslyworked inAustralia and as formerOperations Director at ParcelforceWorldwide. Alistairwill join the Executive Board and focus on driving the growth of our parcels offering across national, international and ecommercemarkets. NickWells, CEOofWhistl said: “We have knownAlistair formany years. He brings extensive experience in the
parcels sector, an areawherewe have ambitious growth plans.Whistl is growing andwe’re pleased that we can bring the best talent on board so that customers can benefit fromthemost efficient and low-cost quality services.” Alistair said: “I’mdelighted to join theWhistl teamat this exciting time in its development with its ambitious, organic and acquisitive growth plans.Whistl is one ofthemost respected operators in the sector and I’m looking
forward to being part ofthe teamthat’s responsible for driving the growth ofthe business.”
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Customer Focus
Home to
We’ve seen a 50% increase in the number of Direct Despatch customers. Parcelhub’s delivery management platformhas been instrumental in achieving that. Hayley McAlinden, Online Sales Manager at Premier Housewares
ecommerce
solutions
Earlier this yearWhistl acquiredmulti-carrier shipping and ecommerce specialists, Parcelhub. Here Hayley McAlinden, Online Sales Manager at Premier Housewares, one of the UK’s leading dropshippers and suppliers of home lifestyle products, explains howParcelhub has helped support their rapid expansion in the sector by streamlining their deliverymanagement operation through a single, smart platform.
the added bonus of enhancing our delivery performance. Plus collections are muchmore co-ordinated and flexible to our needs. It’s a win-win! Howhas it helped the growthof your business? We’ve seen a 50% increase in the number of Direct Despatch customers. Parcelhub’s delivery management platform has been instrumental in achieving that and has fuelled our expansion into the dropshipping market. With more andmore retailers looking for reliable suppliers that can store their inventory, fulfil orders and ship direct to their customers, having an agile, streamlined delivery management platform is pivotal to the success of our operation. We currently integrate with over 35 different Direct Despatch customers, and we’re delighted to say that list is growing all the time. Parcelhub is part of theWhistl Group and provides bespoke carriermanagement, customer services and fulfilment solutions for the ecommerce sectorwith technology that integrates seamlessly with retailers, brands andwholesalers. Formore information about Parcelhub services visit www.parcelhub.co.uk or call 0808 1686013.
match each label with the right product before it was packed. A lot of our products also weren’t being despatched on the most cost-effective delivery service which was wasting money. What difference has the platformmade to processing orders? Parcelhub looked at our current system and purpose-designed an integrated, automated label processing function for us. What used to take our team two hours, now takes just a couple of minutes. It means we can fulfil orders faster which has enabled us to increase the volumes we distribute and given us the confidence to introduce a Next Day delivery option alongside our 3 – 5 day service. Order visibility, postcode accuracy and tracking have all improved which adds up to a much better customer experience. And how has the platform improved the way you manage deliveries? Now that we have a single, streamlined platform that gives us access to a wide range of carriers, we can easily allocate the most appropriate and cost-efficient delivery service for each order. It’s enabled us to save around 30% on shipping costs with
Why were you looking to change the way you currentlymanage your deliveries? We’re growing our product range and customer base throughout the UK and internationally at a rapid rate and as a result our logistics operation has become much more complex. For example some of our smaller items are best shipped on an international packet service, whereas larger items like three-seater sofas require a two-man delivery. Many of our European customers ask us to dropship directly to the consumer, but managing international and UK delivery across 12,000 Stock Keeping Units using a single carrier just wasn’t possible. Likewise, negotiating with different carriers for such a vast product range was far too complicated. Parcelhub offered the simple solution we were looking for – a single, dynamic platform that gives us access to a whole range of carriers and service options that suit our requirements. So what problems were you experiencing before you teamed up with Parcelhub? Processing orders was proving particularly time-consuming. We were printing labels in bulk before passing themon to the warehouse teamwhere they wouldmanually
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Can we do more for you?
Aday in the life...
Offering UK organisations an innovative range of economic and efficient mail delivery services.
PHIL ROGERS TELESALES MANAGER
• Pre-sorted mail • Unsorted mail
• International mail • Hybrid mail
PromotingWhistl’s services to potentially interested customers certainly keeps our staffbusy! Here we catch up with Senior Telesales Manager Phil Rogers at our Bolton depot to find out more about his passion for mentoring and how he keeps his teammotivated, engaged and on top of their form.
National delivery services for UK organisations sending parcels with a range of delivery options.
• Tracked • International parcels
• Pre-sorted • Unsorted
I get to the office at… 8am and the first thing I do is grab a coffee from over the road. I absolutely love winter and the rainy season – there’s nothing better than a warm coffee on a cold autumn or winter morning! Then I remember I’m at work so crack on with some early emails before preparing for my sales team to arrive when we plan the day, go through the objectives and what sectors we will be targeting. I’mresponsible for… the Telesales team and generating appointments for Business Development Managers. This involves promoting our products and services to potential customers over the phone, arranging meetings and upselling our products. There are between 10 and 12 of us in the team at any one time and we’re all based in Bolton. The thing I most enjoy about my job is… teaching andmentoring my staff on how to sell better. I have a real passion for people development and love to see my team constantly improve their performance, which they always do!
Themost challenging part of my job is… helping the team generate appointments for over 17 Business Development Managers nationwide that work across five different business areas. That’s a lot of mouths to feed from just six appointment setters! I couldn’t domy jobwithout… a passion for sales andmanagement, coffee and Microsoft Excel! When I’mstressed at work I usually chill out by…. having a coffee and a quick five minute meditation. I love to talk so I will go through any issues I have with my manager and the team and work out a solution to any potential problems. Out of hours I love to… spend time with my family. I’mmarried with a 7 year old son and we’re expecting another new arrival soon. I also love to watch F1 racing and boxing.
Outsource your complete fulfilment requirements to us or we can build a bespoke solution from our portfolio.
• Fulfilment & warehousing • Logistics management
• IT Solutions • Customer support
We hope you enjoy readingWhistl Magazine. If you’d like us to feature an- ything in particular in future issues, orwould like to feature as a case study please get in touch using the following contact details. email whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk write Rina Maisuria, Whistl UK Ltd, Meridian House, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1TB TO FIND OUT MORE Existing customers contact your account manager New customers call us on 01628 861503 email whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk visit www.whistl.co.uk
A range of services for sending mail and parcels overseas.
• Pre-sorted • Registered
• Unsorted • Tracked parcel services
End-to-end management of doordrop campaigns using analytical insights to target the households you most want to reach, helping your media spend go further.
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Returnaddress:Whistl UKLtd, Meridian House, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1TB
The friendly face of fulfilment
If you’re looking to grow your online retail business with the support of professional people who understand your business, our friendly fulfilment team can help. From storage to pick, pack and despatch plus customer service, you can outsource as much or as little as you need. We’ll tailor a solution that suits you. Naturally you can expect great service from a team committed to giving you and your customers the best possible experience.
Call 01628 861503 email whistl.magazine@whistl.co.uk visit www.whistl.co.uk/fulfilment
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